Ming Smith facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ming Smith
Smith at Brooklyn Museum
Born	Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Education	B.S. Howard University, Washington, DC (1973)
Occupation	Photographer, artist

Ming Smith is an American photographer. She made history as the first African-American female photographer whose art was bought by the famous Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) in New York City.

About Ming Smith

Smith was born in Detroit, Michigan, and grew up in Columbus, Ohio. Her father was a pharmacist who loved photography, and he inspired her to start taking pictures too. Smith studied microbiology at Howard University. After finishing college in 1973, she moved to New York City. There, she worked as a model and started her photography career. She met photographer Anthony Barboza, who helped her a lot in her early days.

Her Unique Photography Style

Ming Smith uses many creative ways to make her photos special. She uses techniques inside the camera, like playing with how clear or blurry the picture is. She also uses darkroom techniques, such as double exposure, where two images are combined into one. Sometimes, she even adds paint or other materials to her printed photos.

Her work isn't just about showing what happened. Instead, it's about expressing feelings and experiences. People have described her photos as dreamlike and mysterious. The New York Times said her work is "personal and expressive." She often takes pictures from unusual angles or through fog and shadows. This makes her photos feel unique and artistic.

Some of Smith's famous photos at the Museum of Modern Art show mothers and children in Harlem. These pictures capture everyday life in a special way.

Her Amazing Career

Ming Smith has photographed many important Black cultural figures, like dancer Alvin Ailey and singer Nina Simone. In 1973, her work was featured in the first Black Photographers Annual book. This book was connected to the Black Arts Movement, which celebrated Black artists.

Her first art show was also in 1973, at a hair salon called Cinandre. There, she met Grace Jones, a famous artist and model. Smith photographed Jones wearing a black and white tutu. They often talked about the challenges of being Black artists during that time. Smith remembers that coming to New York and trying to be a model or artist was a big step after the Jim Crow era.

Two years later, in 1975, Smith became the first female member of the Kamoinge photography group. This group was based in Harlem and led by Roy DeCarava. The Kamoinge Workshop started in 1963 to support Black photographers. At that time, photography was mostly dominated by white men. The group still exists today and helps Black photographers through shows, talks, and workshops. Smith showed her work with Kamoinge in New York and Guyana.

One day, Smith took her photos to the Museum of Modern Art. The person at the front desk thought she was a delivery person! But when she came back, she met a curator named Susan Kismaric. Kismaric wanted to buy Smith's work, but the first price offered was too low. Smith said no at first, but later agreed. Soon after, she became the first Black woman photographer to have her work in the MOMA's collection. Her art has also been shown at other important places, like the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture.

Smith's photographs are also included in the 2004 book The Sweet Breath of Life by Ntozake Shange. This book tells a poetic story about the African-American family.

Exhibitions and Shows

Ming Smith's work has been shown in many exhibitions. She has shown her art at the Bellvue Hospital Centre in Morristown, New Jersey, several times.

In 2010, her photos were part of a big exhibition at MOMA called Pictures by Women: A History of Modern Photography. This show placed her work alongside other famous photographers like Diane Arbus. This helped more people discover Smith's amazing art. In 2017, a major show of her work was held at the Steven Kasher Gallery in New York. It featured 75 of her classic black-and-white prints.

Smith has also worked with filmmaker Arthur Jafa on a show at the Serpentine Sackler Gallery in 2017. That same year, her work was part of the important group exhibition Soul of a Nation: Art in the Age of Black Power at the Tate Modern in London. This show was very popular and traveled to many other museums across the United States.

Selected Group Exhibitions

• 1972 – Kamoinge Group Show; Studio Museum in Harlem, New York
• 2000 – MOMA2000; The Museum of Modern Art, New York
• 2010 – Pictures by Women: A History of Modern Photography; The Museum of Modern Art, New York
• 2017 – Soul of a Nation: Art in the Age of Black Power; Tate Modern, London, UK
• 2018 – Soul of a Nation: Art in the Age of Black Power; Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn, NY

Where Her Art is Kept

Ming Smith's photographs are part of the permanent collections of several major museums. This means her art is kept there forever for people to see.

• Brooklyn Museum of Art
• Philadelphia Museum of Art
• Whitney Museum of American Art